Quick Answer
Clue: “This text mark: ^”
Answer: CARET
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 3-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “This text mark: ^” is answered with CARET, the typographical name for the ^ symbol.
Why CARET Is the Right NYT Answer
- Dedicated NYT Mini helper pages and clue-explainer sites all confirm CARET as the 5-letter solution to “This text mark: ^” in the January 30, 2026 grid. By definition, the ^ symbol is called a caret, especially in editing, proofreading, and many digital text contexts.
- Since the clue literally shows the symbol and asks for “this text mark,” CARET is the only precise and widely accepted term that fits a 5-letter slot.
What CARET Means in Plain English
- A caret is the little wedge-shaped symbol ^ used to show where something should be inserted into text. Proofreaders and editors place a caret in the line and write the missing word, letter, or punctuation in the margin to indicate an addition.
- Beyond editing, the caret is also used in math and computing to represent exponentiation or other operators, as in 2^3 or code expressions.
Crossword-Specific Help for CARET
- In the grid, CARET appears as C A R E T; with a few crossings you might briefly see C_RE_, CA_E_, or _ARET, but the visual cue “^” makes it snap into place.
- CARET is a recurring crossword answer, often clued as “Insertion mark,” “Proofreader’s mark,” “Editing symbol,” or “Mark indicating insertion.”
- Because it’s slightly technical but very standard, CARET is classic light “crosswordese” that regular solvers quickly learn and reuse.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For clues like “Insertion mark,” “Editing symbol,” “Proofreader’s mark,” “Insert here symbol,” your first thought should be CARET.
- When the clue literally shows “^” or says “this mark in text,” it is almost always CARET if the length is 5.
Don’t confuse CARET with CARAT (a weight for gems) or CARROT (the vegetable), which are common homophones sometimes played with in themed puzzles.
More NYT Mini Crossword Answers for January 30, 2026
| Clue | Answer | |
| 1A | “Top Gear” | View Answer |
| 6A | Announcement that causes groans among travelers | View Answer |
| 7A | Middle of a drum kit, typically | View Answer |
| 8A | Political staffers | View Answer |
| 9A | Bottom-line figure | View Answer |
| 1D | French-speaking nation in West Africa | View Answer |
| 2D | Sharp part of a sword | View Answer |
| 3D | This text mark: ^ | View Answer |
| 4D | Left-leaning political org. | View Answer |
| 5D | “Right you are!” | View Answer |
